Christmas Wish
by Iknowyoulovemexoxo
Summary: Stephanie has a Christmas surprise for her husband Paul.


Stephanie stood up and shook the Doctors hand, "Thank you Doctor, I will remember to do that. Merry Christmas." She then walked out of the office.

Stephanie sighed, it was December 23rd and she'd just had a Doctors appointment thinking everything would be routine as she hadn't really thought anything was wrong but she needed to put her mind at rest before Christmas and well there was something going on. She got in her car and headed out dropping into a shop before heading home.

She walked through the front door to see her husband's head pop up, "Hey Steph. Where have you been?"

She laughed, "well hello my body less husband, I've just been running a few errands as I told you I was and now I'm home and we can spend the rest of the time together."

He smiled and blew her a kiss, "love you."

She whispered, "I love you too." She then quickly walked upstairs wiping a tear away as she went.

Stephanie moaned softly, "go away, it's too early."

Paul grinned as he continued kissing her face and neck, "but it's Christmas."

She opened her eyes, a few days had now passed and she'd had time to let the news sink in but she was yet to tell Paul what happened that day, "I'm only waking up because you won't stop kissing me."

He kissed her softly and lovingly on the lips, "I thought you'd like that wake up call."

She curled up against his side, "you know we need to get up soon so we can get to my parents on time right?"

He kissed the top of her head and stroked her bare arm, "yeah I know but we get to spend a little bit of time together before we have to be there at least."

"Yeah."

A couple of hours later Paul was on the phone to his parents whilst Stephanie was taking a shower, "I don't know what's going on Mum, she's been really distant with me for a few days and I can't put a finger on it."

Pat smiled, "she's happy now right? Now its Christmas and all."

"Actually she seems more distant than ever this morning."

"I don't know what's going on Paul. I would say ask her but seeing as you're going to Vince and Linda's for lunch and it's a big family thing it might be best to wait until you get home tonight or tomorrow to ask her and then you can find out everything."

He sighed, "I guess. Thanks Mum and sorry if I've kind of put a dampener on your day."

"Oh you never do that Paul, you know I'm always here for you as you're my son and she is my daughter and I love you both dearly."

"Thanks. Merry Christmas to everyone and we'll see you soon."

"You too and wish the McMahon's a Merry Christmas from us too please."

"Will do, thank you."

Meanwhile upstairs Stephanie as staring at herself in the mirror, "God I look so ugly, there are huge bags under my eyes where I haven't been sleeping and I look so fat and ugly, I don't know how he can fancy me."

She shook her head mumbling, "I should tell him but I can't, not yet."

She walked into the bedroom picking a card up out of the drawer and placing it in her purse safely before she got dressed.

They arrived at Vince and Linda's soon after, the whole family had agreed to take the presents for everybody there before hand and they'd have a big family opening of the presents after lunch to kind of celebrate Declan's first McMahon Christmas.

Stephanie smiled as her Dad opened the door and she hugged him, "Merry Christmas Dad."

Vince smiled and hugged his daughter back, "Merry Christmas. Shane and Marissa are in the lounge and your Mum is in the kitchen, go on through."

She walked past her Dad as he shook hands with Paul and they all went and sat in the lounge whilst Linda finished cooking.

Stephanie sat playing with Declan on the floor as Paul and Shane sat side by side on the couch and Shane nudged him, "you know she's really broody right and she's going to pester you for kids soon enough."

Stephanie's head snapped up, "shut the hell up Shane, it's none of your damn business."

Shane bit his lip a bit taken aback by the way she spoke, "sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

He motioned to Paul and both men made the excuse of getting a drink and leaving.

Once in the kitchen Shane frowned, "okay what did I do?"

Paul ran a hand over his hair, "your guess is as good as mine, she's been quiet and distant for days so just ignore it and hopefully it'll pass."

"Okay.

Meanwhile back in the lounge Linda was looking disapprovingly at her daughter,"was there any need to bite his head off? It's Christmas, a happy time of year."

Stephanie sighed, "I'm sorry okay, I just have things on my mind."

She then turned her focus back to Declan leaving no room for the discussion to continue.

A few hours later lunch was over and everyone was sat in the lounge around the Christmas tree Paul was sat on the couch with his arm wrapped around Stephanie's shoulder as she lay her head on his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head, "are you okay? I know I shouldn't do this here but you've been really distant with me and I'm worried about you."

She brushed him off, "I'm fine, I need air."

She got up and walked out and onto the porch and she stood staring down the driveway and brushed a few tears away, "why does life have to be so damn complicated?".

Back in the house everyone was discussing who should go and see if she was okay but Paul told everyone to give her some space and she'd come back when she felt ready to and soon enough she was back in.

Most of the presents had been opened, there were just the ones from Husband to Wife to be exchanged and Shane and Marissa had gone first and then Vince and Linda and now it was Stephanie and Paul's turn. Stephanie grabbed a present from under the tree and was about to hand it over when she put it on the floor, "I can't do this."

She reached into her purse that was next to her on the floor and took out the card, "read this."

She handed Paul the card whilst everybody watched on in amazement wondering what was going on and why she was acting so strange.

Paul took the card with shaking hands, he was actually really frightened to see what was on the inside, he had a feeling that this was the answer to all of his questions but he was unsure that he wanted them answered. Slowly he opened the envelope before pulling out the card and looked at the front of it and on the front it had the slogan "Merry Christmas Dad", h e furrowed his brow completely dumbfounded by it and slowly he opened the card to read the inside of it:

_Dear Paul,_

_I know things haven't been great these past few days but I lied to you when I said I was running a few errands, I wasn't. What I actually did on that morning was go to the Doctor because I didn't feel so good and I needed to put my mind at rest and I found something out. Paul the Doctor told me I'm pregnant, I'm expecting our first child so you're going to be a Father. I don't know entirely how you feel about that although I know we've talked about it but it is one thing talking and another thing is reality. Anyway I'll let you get your head around that and decide whatever._

_I love you Paul; I'm yours now and for always_

_Stephanie_

He read the card a few times before looking back up at Stephanie with a questioning look in his eyes, "is this true?"

She looked at the floor and slowly nodded, Paul put the card on the couch next to him and stood up taking her hand in his and pulling her up with him before he reached under her chin and pulled her face up so she was looking in his eyes before he smiled warmly, "I love you."

He leant in and captured her mouth in a heated kiss as the rest of the McMahon's looked on even more confused than they were before.

When he pulled away from the kiss he looked from her eyes to her stomach and back up again, "I can't believe this."

"Believe it it's true."

Meanwhile Shane was getting really impatient as Stephanie was actually smiling now and he wanted to know what was going on, "okay is someone going to tell me what's going on or I'll beat it out of you."

Paul sat down and pulled Stephanie so she was sat on his lap and he placed one hand over her stomach as they both smiled at each other and Shane frowned some more, "this is your last warning."

"I'm pregnant."

Shane spat out the drink he was drinking, "you're what?"

Paul grinned, "she's pregnant, expecting our first child, about to be a Mother, making me a Father, making you an Uncle, do I need to go on?"

She giggled at Paul and at the shock on everyone's face, "what? You knew we had discussed it at length, we just never told you we'd kind of decided to try for a baby just yet."

Vince had the biggest grin of everybody in the whole room, "so you're not shooting blanks then Paul. Congratulations to you both, I'm going to be a Granddad again."

"Yes you are."

Vince got up and hugged his daughter and the celebration continued well into the night.

When Stephanie and Paul had gotten home and were lying in bed Stephanie said, "so what was your wish for Christmas this year Paul?"

He smiled that she remembered his little tradition of wishing for something each year at Christmas time, "my wish for Christmas this year was actually that I'd become a Dad and that's definitely happened sooner than I thought but I couldn't be happier."

He kissed her soundly on the mouth before holding her close rubbing his hand on her stomach not believing that by this time next year they would be parents.


End file.
